As a preliminary to their afternoon concert as part of our 2016 Festival of the Voice, the Three Medieval Tenors join us to direct a workshop for singers (all voices, tenors and basses particularly welcome) to develop a fuller understanding of medieval music in general and the conductus in particular. The workshop will be led by Mark Everist from the University of Southampton and is designed to give students an insight into how these Latin songs were created and how they can be performed in the light of the very latest research.

The workshop will begin with an orientation session describing the repertoires, their functions and styles and their historical context (tailored to the interests and abilities of the attendees). The core practical activities will include the creation of a solo conductus from poetry supplied at the workshop, the reading and writing of medieval notation and modern transcriptions, and coaching in key aspects of performance practice. The latter will include sessions on tuning and ensemble singing (with particular focus on how to sing in up to three parts without conventional metrical rhythm).

It is designed to appeal to enthusiastic amateur musicians as well as aspiring professionals. All workshop materials will be provided on the day, preparation is not required.

To celebrate the launch of their latest CD, Magnificat brings to life compositions inspired by Girolamo Savonarola, the 15th-century Dominican friar who preached passionately for political, social and spiritual reform in Florence. Savonarola’s followers stoked the famous “Bonfires of the Vanities” burning art, books and other “worldly” items. His outspoken criticisms of Pope Alexander VI ultimately led to Savonarola’s excommunication, imprisonment, admission of heresy under torture, and execution.

Amongst the “vanities” Savonarola decried was over-elaborate sacred music, yet Savonarola had a long-lasting – if inadvertent – musical influence after his death. His writings inspired some of the greatest compositions of the 16th century, including Josquin’s exquisite Miserere mei, Deus and Byrd’s masterpiece Infelix ego.